170 THE TKINITY FOOT BEAGLES 



are treated. The next entry tells of rain and heavy going and all 

 being well. But then a " blackguard " with a greyhound interferes, 

 which is how life treats us. 



Jan. 21. New Bakns Fakm, Ely. — " ... As there were so many 

 hares and scent was so bad I decided to whip off, and so we jogged 

 pretty quick back to Ely and just caught the 4.32 train. A lot of 

 'Varsity men out. Four or five farmers riding, including old Porter, 

 who were a great nuisance, and a lot of yokels who knew nothing 

 about the sport and consequently holloaed every hare and rabbit they 

 saw. So ended one of the rottenest day's beagling I've ever seen." 



Feb. 20. CoTON. — " A very tine run over a nice country of one hour 



forty-five minutes. T came up and was very cantankerous. He 



threatened to prosecute, etc. Was very pohte to him. Utter 

 nonsense as he had given me leave last term to run over his land. 

 Said he did not think it was sport, but simple 'murder.' Should 

 like to know what he calls sport. Probably a gun and ' long-dog.' " 



The rest is a purely business-like record of runs, the only other 

 of interest being at Twentypence Ferry (March 4), in a most in- 

 accessible fen, where they hunted one hare for four and a half 

 hours, mostly at a walking pace, whipped off at 6.10 p.m., and did 

 not get back to Cambridge till 8.30 ! ! 



What the present history most lacks is contributions from private 

 beaglers ; this is more or less inevitable, but something of a pity. 

 Having always been a private beagler myself, I am therefore em- 

 boldened to say what I remember of the sport and of those who took 

 part in it during the period with which we are now concerned. 



I have already told the circumstances under which I started 

 beagling. The first day I went out was in the Feu at Earith 

 Bridge, whither I went by train, and saw T. A. E. Sanderson and 

 Vaizey waiting for hounds in Mr. Kingrow's yard : they had evidently 

 driven out, and I had done wrong to come by train. Of that, how- 

 ever, more hereafter. This was my first sight of fen country, and it 

 was very strange after my home hills and woodlands. Sanderson 

 was a frosty-faced, hard-bitten sort of fellow, and I spoke to him, but 



